West Coast Motors

West Coast Motors (legally incorporated as Craig of Campbeltown Limited) is a bus, coach and ferry operator, based in Campbeltown, Scotland. The company also operates under the name Borders Buses[2][3] in the Scottish Borders and formerly under the Glasgow Citybus brand in Greater Glasgow.

Craig of Campbeltown Limited
A Plaxton Beaver bodied Mercedes-Benz Vario, seen at Inveraray in May 2007.
Founded1921 (102 years ago)
HeadquartersCampbeltown, Scotland, UK
Service area
Service typeBus, coach and ferry
Fleet270[1]
Managing DirectorColin Robert Craig
Websitewww.westcoastmotors.co.uk

History

The founding of the company dates back to 1921, when Jack Craig commenced a bus operation in Campbeltown. In 1935, William Craig convinced the Royal Mail to allow him to commence an overnight road service from Campbeltown to Glasgow, in lieu of transporting mail by ship. The company remained a Royal Mail contractor until October 2011.[4]

In 1950, the business purchased Dickies of Tarbert, along with the service between East and West Loch Tarbert Piers. In 1955, haulage company West Coast Transport was formed. After purchasing James McPhee Haulage and Ramsays Haulage in 1963, the business was sold to British Road Services in 1966.[4]

In 1970, McConnachie's was purchased, resulting in West Coast operating all services in the Kintyre area.[5] In 1982, McColls of Benderloch was purchased, along with the Oban to Benderloch and Easdale services. In 1986, Stag Garage of Lochgilphead was purchased, along with services to Ford, Kilmartin and Ormsary. In 1999, West Coast Motors purchased Oban & District Buses.[6]

In 2004, West Coast Motors commenced operating in Bute and Cowal, after taking over services from Stagecoach, along with depots in Dunoon and Rothesay.[7] In 2006, service between Oban and Dalavich was purchased from L.F. Stewart & Son,[8] along with Kilberry and Skipness services from D & E Henderson Hiring.

In January 2008, the City Sightseeing franchise in Glasgow was purchased, followed in 2009 by the Kintyre Express ferry operation.[9] Kintyre Express later commenced operating a ferry service from Campbeltown to Ballycastle, in 2011.[10]

In June 2013, Bowman's Tours[11] on the Isle of Mull was purchased, along with 10 vehicles, and was renamed West Coast Tours.[4][12] In November 2013, the company acquired Fairline Coaches in Glasgow, along with 16 vehicles.[13][14]

On 12 June 2023, West Coast Motors took over the Tighnabruaich-Otter Ferry and the Tighnabruaich local service from Tighnabruaich Service Station, giving West Coast Motors full dominance on mainland Argyll, excluding Garelochhead Coaches in Lochgoilhead and express operators.

Borders Buses
Main article: Borders Buses

In February 2016, Perryman's Buses of Berwick-upon-Tweed was purchased by West Coast Motors. The sale included 45 vehicles, and both depots at Berwick-upon-Tweed and St. Boswells.[15][16] Later in the same year, Perryman's also took over several services from First Scotland East. The remainder of First's operations in the Scottish Borders, including the depot at Galashiels, as well as outstations at Hawick, Kelso and Peebles, was sold to West Coast Motors in March 2017.[17][18][19]

In July 2017, the business was re-branded as Borders Buses. Re-branding saw the introduction of a new cream and red corporate livery, with a blue stripe along the length of the vehicle. Some vehicles operating on key routes have since received route-specific branding, based on the corporate livery.[20][21][22]

Glasgow Citybus
Main article: Glasgow Citybus

Glasgow Citybus was purchased by West Coast Motors in 2006. The company operates local bus services in Glasgow and Dunbartonshire, with a fleet of around 60 vehicles.

Main article: Scottish Citylink

As well as operating local bus services, West Coast Motors has, since 1986, operated long-distance express services on behalf of Scottish Citylink. West Coast Motors mainly serve the route between Glasgow and Campbeltown, but also operate on other routes, serving Dundee, Edinburgh, Fort William, Oban and the Isle of Skye.

In May 2008, the company refused to sign a new contract to operate Scottish Citylink routes in the Highlands, and launched a series of routes in competition. Two months later, the services were withdrawn, with a new contract drawn up between the two companies. West Coast Motors resumed operation of Scottish Citylink services in September 2008.[23][7]

A Scottish Citylink branded Irizar i6 bodied Scania K114, seen in Inveraray in September 2013.

As of April 2023, West Coast Motors operates the following services on behalf of Scottish Citylink:

  • 618: Glasgow to Blackpool
  • 914, 915 & 916: Glasgow to Fort William and Skye (certain journeys)
  • 926: Glasgow to Campbeltown[24]
  • 975/976: Glasgow to Oban
  • 978: Edinburgh to Oban
  • M9: Glasgow to Aberdeen (certain journeys)
  • AIR: Glasgow to Edinburgh Airport
  • 900: Glasgow to Edinburgh (certain journeys)

Fleet and operations

As at November 2013, West Coast operates a fleet of 191 buses and coaches (excluding the Borders Buses operation).[14]

As of March 2020, West Coast Motors operate bus and coach services from eleven depots.

Notes
  1. This depot is operated by Borders Buses.
  2. This depot is operated by Glasgow Citybus.

References
  1. "History". www.westcoastmotors.co.uk. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  2. "Borders Buses Ltd". Companies House. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  3. "Craig of Campbeltown Limited". Companies House. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  4. About Us West Coast Motors
  5. Scots take-over Commercial Motor 12 December 1969
  6. Companies House extract company no SC092820 Oban & District Buses Limited
  7. How the West Coast was won and run Herald Scotland 19 July 2008
  8. Companies House extract company no SC105515 LF Stewart & Son Limited
  9. Home Kintyre Express
  10. New Passenger Only Ferry for Ireland-Scotland Route Afloat Ireland 14 January 2011
  11. Companies House extract company no SC073385 Bowmans Coaches (Mull) Limited
  12. West Coast expands in Bowman's purchase Bus & Coach Professional 4 June 2013
  13. Companies House extract company no SC095682 Fairline Coaches Limited
  14. West Coast buys Fairline Bus & Coach Professional 21 November 2013
  15. "West Coast Motors buys Perryman's of Berwick-upon-Tweed". Coach & Bus Week. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  16. "Perryman's Buses taken over by West Coast Motors". The Berwickshire News. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  17. Knox, David (15 July 2016). "Perryman's set to take over threatened Borders bus routes". Border Telegraph. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  18. Peat, Chris (10 March 2017). "First to sell Borders operations". Bus & Coach Buyer. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  19. "Takeover deal secures future of Borders bus routes". The Southern Reporter. 3 April 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  20. "Two become one on the Borders". Bus & Coach Buyer. 12 July 2017. Archived from the original on 11 June 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  21. "Borders Buses to formally merge with Perryman's". Coach & Bus Week. No. 1299. 11 July 2017. p. 11.
  22. "End of road for Perryman's name as bus firm merges Borders subsidiaries". The Southern Reporter. 13 July 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  23. Citylink and Westcoast Motors sign new deal Citylink 14 July 2008
  24. Guides, Bradt; Locke, Tim; Kries, Nicky Gardner and Susanne (5 May 2016). Bus-Pass Britain: 50 of the nation's favourite bus journeys. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 978-1-78477-019-8.
  25. West Coast Motors, Dunoon – Google Street View, March 2010
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